Re-applicant. Applied for class of 2004 - at the time, was a resident of WA. Interviewed/rejected at U of Washington, Interviewed/Waitlisted at Wash U in St. Louis. Applied to Georgetown M.S. program (non-SMP) as an alternate option.
2005: Decided to re-apply to medical school after completing my M.S. Submitted AMCAS 2006 in mid-July, certified 1 week later. Roughly a 2-week turnaround time on secondaries. All secondaries submitted by September. Granted 5 interviews and 3 acceptances to date (12/30), with no rejections. Still waiting to hear from 4 schools.
If you are an applicant with mediocre-to-low stats and reading this, keep your head up. Don't get discouraged. Explore an alternate option - get a masters (take tough courses and work hard for a 4.0 - the worst it'll do is prepare you for further graduate work), do some research, get published, volunteer...just GET BUSY and do something that you enjoy and find challenging! I got into Georgetown with a mediocre UG GPA and a 'nothing special' MCAT.
If you are considering an M.S. as an option, please read this first before spending money. Don't do an SMP. Pick a masters that has an outlet besdies medical school, so that you will be prepared to do something else if you don't get in. Try Micro/Immuno, Molecular Bio/Biochem, BioEngineering, Cell Bio, Neurobio, etc. And be prepared to WORK. And I don't just mean getting A's. Getting noticed takes much more than just good grades. STAND OUT. Get to know your profs (this is MUCH easier in grad school than in UG, I have found); develop a relationship with them. I really took the time to get to know all of my lecturers, and ended up with fantastic recs (and a lot of wonderful mentors). ASK QUESTIONS in class. Be that annoying person you made fun of in undergrad. Really throw yourself into the material. Try to relate to it. Enjoy it. Load up on difficult, challenging, hard science courses (e.g. physiology, graduate-level biochemistry and mol bio, cell bio, histo, immuno, etc.), and do well in them, but also take some interdisciplinary courses as well (e.g. science policy, biostats). Go to seminars offered by your department (and/or other depts), and really listen and ask questions. Just get involved in any and all ways possible. Show how interested and serious you are.
If you feel like you didn't shine as an UG, all is not lost. Take the bull by the horns and prove yourself in your M.S. program. Who knows? You may decide that an M.D. isn't challenging enough for your level of brilliance, and that your calling is hard science, or something else entirely.
I would suggest that anyone interested in med school, but who is uncertain of the MD vs. PhD vs. etc. route, should try graduate school. I had a very rewarding experience at Georgetown, and thus I recommend it to you.
Any questions? Email me.
Update: 2.6.06
Submitted my FAFSA a few days ago. Let's see what goodies I get.
Update 3.20.06
Today I found out that I have been put on the top third ('high-priority') of the waitlist for Colorado. Historically, I believe that everyone on this list has eventually gotten in. Time will tell. I have some big decisions to make in the next couple of months.
Update 4.14.06
I received my final outstanding rejection from Hopkins yesterday. But I think I will end up in Baltimore, after all...at Maryland! I'm currently looking at housing options. I am *so* excited! I have updated my FAFSA since I finalized my 2005 taxes. I still haven't heard much from schools in the way of financial aid packages, but I think they should be rolling in next week-ish.
5.11.06
Withdrew from USC, Georgetown, Colorado, and JMC tonight. It was bittersweet, but in my heart I know I'm doing the right thing. On a more positive note...I bought a house today, in Baltimore! I can't wait to start med school...I can now officially say that I'm UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND CLASS OF 2010!!
7.23.06
Got a taste of med school during the PSP at U of Maryland. My classmates are awesome and school is completely manageable. Not easy, by any stretch of the imagination, but definitely not impossible. The competition level seems healthy (not at all cutthroat), and everyone (students, faculty, support staff) seems incredibly helpful. Adjusting to life in Baltimore is still a work in progress, but it's getting better day-by-day. Overall, I'm extremely happy with my choice, and I'm also happy that I had 5 years to get my twenties 'out of my system.' I'm ready for the challenge - bring on August 10th!!
7.28.07
It's hard for me to believe that it has been a year since my last MDApps post. First year of med school was one of the most challenging years of my life, both academically, and on a more personal, mental, and emotional level. Yet, I made it through, and I'm still standing. I start second year in a couple of weeks, and I feel like I'm ready for it.
I do not regret my decision to attend Maryland, at all. I love my school, my classmates are great people, and the faculty members are out of this world. I feel very blessed to have had the opportunities that I did last year. Good luck to all of the applicants out there - remember to keep trying, and never give up on your goal.
